The struggle to oust Islamic encroachments from forts and raise the Bhagwa there will continue - Harshad Khanvilkar, Yuva Sangathak, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti

Vidyadhiraj Auditorium, June 21 (News.) – Forts are symbols of valour. Encroachments on them by religious fanatics is Land Jihad. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is remembered because of the forts. However today, the proliferation of mosques and graves there makes one wonder if these forts belonged to the Mughals. The Archeological department has ignored this. This issue is not limited to Maharashtra, but seen across India. The roots of secularism have become so deeply entrenched in Hindus that the effects are seen in claims that the Durgadevi temple on Durgadi Fort is a mosque, apart from the mazaar (tomb) built near the archeology office on Kolaba Fort in Raigad, the Islamic encroachment on Shivdigarh, Raigad in Mumbai, Vandangad in Satara, Parola Peshwa era fort in Jalgaon, said Mr Harshad Khanvilkar, Yuva Sangathak, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti. He was speaking on Day 6 of the ongoing Vaishvik Hindu Rashtra Mahotsav.

He further said…

1. Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and Hindu organisations worked against this [Islamic encroachment]. Many Hindu organizations put up a long fight to have a large structure that was illegally built around Afzal Khan’s tomb at Pratapgad. Finally on 10th November 2022 (Shiv Pratapdin), the illegal structure was demolished.

2. The samadhis of Bajiprabhu Deshpade and Phulajiprabhu Deshpande at Vishalgad in Kolhapur are severely neglected, while the government paid Rs 5 lakh for Rehman Baba’s dargah. A campaign was launched against this by the ‘Vishalgarh Rakshan ani Atikramanvirodhi Kruti Samiti’ (Committee for the protection and against encroachment of Vishalgarh). The struggle will continue till this dargah is removed.

3. In order to prevent Islamic encroachment on the forts, the ‘Maharashtra Gad-Durg Samvardhan Morcha’ (The Conservation of Forts in Maharashtra march) was launched in March 2023. The protestors demanded that the government form a Committee for the Conservation of Forts. 1500 fans of Shivaji Maharaj and devout Hindus attended the morcha. Maha Tourism Minister Mangalprabhat Lodha met the protestors and assured them of appropriate action.

4. This battle to defend the forts is a battle for self-respect and history. Forts must be protected to show the bravery and prowess of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to the future generations. Only slogans of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ should resound from the forts and the Bhagwa should be hoisted there again. The struggle will have to continue until this is achieved.